


Foolish Purpose

by quellthefire



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Announcing the relationship, Avengers find out they’re dating, But also cocky af, Coming Out, Fluffy Ending, M/M, Mild hurt/comfort themes, Shawarma, Steve is old fashioned, SteveTony, Stony - Freeform, Tony is sweet and supportive, Totally ignores Civil War canon, You’re my endgame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 07:47:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17803952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quellthefire/pseuds/quellthefire
Summary: “I’ve just never had to do this before.”“What, you’ve never had to announce that you’re dating a perfect specimen of a man?”\\\\Steve is hesitant to be open about his relationship with Tony. He’s never really come out before. But it’s different with Tony, Steve is different with Tony.





	1. Not A Competition

**Author's Note:**

> Cw: mention of AIDs epidemic, hate crimes, death (in the context of what it was like to come out in the 1980s and 1940s)
> 
> Fluffy endings are the most fun to write for sure.

“I’m too sober for this.”

“Tony, you’ve been drinking since 10 in the morning.”

“Exactly my point. I should be a lot more drunk than I am. Frankly, I’m disappointed in myself.”

Steve sighed, and leaned back into his chair, hands on his head in frustration. “Not the time for jokes, Tony. Besides, what do you want from me? I’m not ready to tell them. We’ve been over this before.”

Tony gulped the last bit of whisky from his tumbler and frowned. “It’s starting to sound like you’ll never be ready.” 

“It’s different for me,” Steve replied softly. “You, you grew up in a time when it was a lot more accepted. When I was growing up, you could get killed for being out. No one talked about it. Even if people suspected, the polite thing to do was pretend like they didn’t know and go about their business as usual. Forget pride parades and gay marriage, you’d be arrested and beaten by the police if you got found out.”

Tony scoffed and placed his empty glass on the coffee table between them. “Okay, yes, that sounds fucking awful. But I grew up during the AIDS crisis, when people were terrified to touch a gay person because they thought they’d get infected, and they were burying the bodies in mass graves because their families didn’t want to claim them. This isn’t a contest. Neither one of us grew up in a time where our relationship would be accepted. But it’s not the 1980s and it’s certainly not the 1940s anymore. It’s different now. We’re different. And I’d like to be able to hold your hand someplace other than the storage closet. Is that so much to ask, Steve?”

Steve looked at Tony, really looked at him for a long couple of moments, and then shook his head. “No, it’s not too much to ask. I’d like that too. I’ve just never had to do this before.”

Tony grinned at him, and said “What, you’ve never had to announce that you’re dating a perfect specimen of a man?”

Steve playfully kicked under the table, barely connecting with Tony’s leg. “Jerk,” he said with a smile. “I’ve never had to tell anyone I was a dating a man, perfect specimen or not. Besides, don’t get too cocky about yourself. You snore an awful lot for someone claiming to be flawless.”

Tony returned the kick, perhaps a little harder than he needed to. Steve laughed and got up to sit next to him, head resting on his shoulder. The physical contact was warm, and solid, and made him feel safe. Tony grabbed Steve’s hand and squeezed. 

“I know it’s scary, Steve. Hell, I’ve never been exactly secretive about my past flings with other men, but there’s a reason I never made some big declaration of my orientation. It was easier to let people pretend it wasn’t happening than to be open and honest about who I am. But I’m ready. You’re worth it. I want to be able to hold your hand, and kiss you, and not have to hide it from the team. It’s killing me to keep you a secret.”

“That would be nice,” Steve murmured in agreement. “And I could take you out on a date to that aquarium you like so much.”

“Plus Nat would finally stop pestering you about getting a girlfriend,” Tony said in a sing-song voice. 

Steve grinned and nuzzled his face into Tony’s neck. “That would be a miracle unto itself. Do you know the other day she tried to hook me up with the girl who delivered our Chinese food?”

“I’m not surprised. Nat is relentless when she finds a new project. And apparently that’s you.”

Steve squeezed Tony’s hand tighter, and said, “God, can you imagine Sam and Clint’s reactions?” 

“They apparently have a bet on if you’ll ever get laid in this century. I bet them $200 that you already are. You’re welcome, by the way. I was planning on splitting that money with you.” Tony’s other hand started stroking Steve’s hair. It was short and soft, and it smelled slightly of peppermint. 

Steve leaned into the touch, mumbling, “Mmm. I love when you do that. And thank you, serves them right for gossiping about me.” 

“So we’re really gonna do this, huh?” Tony could hear the tremble in Steve’s voice as he said it. 

“Hey,” Tony said softly, turning to face Steve and holding his face in his hands. “I’m not gonna make you do anything you’re not ready for. I think this would be good for us, but if you say you’re not ready then I’ll be patient. I know I haven’t always been in the past, but you matter more to me than anything else.”

“Even more than your Iron Man suit?”

“Even more than that. I would chuck it into the ocean if I had to choose between you and it. You’re it Steve. You’re my endgame.”

Steve beamed at Tony, heat rising in his face. “You make it sound so serious.”

“It is for me. I spent years trying to fill the space in my life with drinks and parties and one night stands. And then you walked into my life with that goddamn star on your chest and it just clicked. Everything was different after that.”

Steve traced his fingers on the backs of Tony’s hands. “I felt the same way. Well, minus the drunken debauchery. It sounds foolish, but being with you has given me a new purpose. Something that has nothing to do with what anyone else wants me to do, and is all about what I want. And I want you, Tony. I’m scared, but I think I’m ready to tell everyone. I love you.”

Tony leaned in to kiss him, soft and gentle and sweet. They’d shared so many kisses. Most of them were frantic and messy and hot. The kind that ended with their clothes scattered on the bedroom floor and them trying desperately to keep quiet so no one would hear. 

But this one was different. This kiss was patient and kind. Tony wanted Steve to know how much he loved him, how grateful he was to have Steve in his life. 

Tony finally broke off the kiss, heart pounding steady in his chest. Steve closed his eyes, a sweet smile on his face.

“That was my favorite one yet.”

“You say that every time, Steve.”

“Well, this time I really meant it.”

“C’mon you big sap. We need to figure out how we’re going to tell them. Now, I have a few ideas already. How do you feel about announcement cakes?” Tony gave him a cocky smile. 

“Maybe we’ll just tell them the old fashioned way.”

“Fine, but we’re getting shawarma after. I’m starving.”

“Shawarma is a must,” Steve said with a laugh, and kissed him again.


	2. Going Public

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Tony tell the team about their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who asked me to write a follow up. You all made helped make this a reality, and I’m so happy with how this turned out

“Tony, for the last time, we are not getting rainbow-dyed doves to announce our relationship. I don’t even think that’s safe for the doves, and I won’t have that on my conscience.”

“Suit yourself. I just wanted to see Rhodey lose it. You know how terrified he is of small birds.”

Steve grinned, in spite of himself, and poked Tony in the chest. “You are an awful friend and Rhodey is a saint for putting up with you all these years. I don’t know how he does it.”

Tony batted his eyelashes, an absurd move that he somehow made work, and responded, “It’s because I’m so pretty.”

“You’re something all right,” Steve said with a chuckle. “But all jokes aside, I think we just need to sit everyone down at once and get it over with. That way there’s no choosing who knows first. You know that Nat would be pissed if anyone found out before her.”

Tony gave a shudder, thinking about the time he had forgotten to get her a Christmas present. She’d stared daggers at him all morning while everyone else opened and enjoyed their lavish gifts. He didn’t want a repeat of that. 

“Everyone all at once, it is then.”

“The old fashioned way.”

“As much as telling your superhero co-workers who you live with that you’re queer, and oh, by the way, dating the literal symbol of our nation’s wholesome values, can be called old-fashioned. Deep-dicking Captain America probably isn’t what they meant by ‘good old-fashioned fun’.”

“Tony!” Steve’s eyes went wide and he was turning a lovely shade of crimson, still slightly embarrassed by Tony’s penchant for crudeness in the face of stressful situations. “It is fun though,” Steve admitted. 

Tony leaned in to kiss him and whispered, “The most fun,” before making him blush even more from how fucking good it felt to be kissed. 

Steve couldn’t get enough of Tony. He would pull him into storage closets and empty hallways, desperate for his touch. It was hot as hell. And risky. Maybe that’s part of why it was so hot. Tony secretly wondered if Steve wanted to get caught. He’d been getting bolder recently. 

They’d forgotten to lock doors a couple of times, and very nearly got caught once by Sam, who was just trying to find some spare paper towels to clean up a spill in the kitchen. The sex after had been incredible. 

Part of Tony was sad that they wouldn’t have to hide anymore. There was something intimate and fun about having a secret together. But they’d been sneaking around for months, and there were so many days he just wanted to fall asleep in Steve’s arms at the end of a rough day, or curl up on the couch with him to unwind while they watched a movie. He craved that sense of normalcy almost as much as the thrill of not getting found out. 

“We’re really doing this, huh?”

“Steve, you already said that.”

“I’m just trying to process it all. It’s exciting.”

“Yeah, it really is,” Tony said in a quiet, happy tone. “It really is.” This was really happening. 

Steve wore a decisive expression, “So I guess we’ll ask FRIDAY to send a message out to the team to come meet us in the living room as soon as they can.”

A bright, lilting voice spoke out. “Are you ready to send the message now, Cap?”

“Go for it, FRIDAY,” and then turning to face Tony again, Steve said, “Sometimes I forget that she’s listening.”

Tony laughed and said “Our own little personal voyeur,” and then laughed even harder when Steve elbowed him in reply. 

They made their way to the living room, and found Bruce and Thor already there. 

“Hey guys, what’s up?” Bruce called out as he spotted them. He looked mildly uncomfortable, but that was pretty par for the course with Bruce. He was reclusive and shy in a way none of them really knew how to handle. But he had been a good friend through the time they’d known him. 

Thor was lounging in an overstuffed chair, feet up on an ottoman. He looked comfy and content. He was a pretty happy-go-lucky guy, which made for a stark contrast next to Bruce. “Yes, what is up, as you humans love to say?”

“We wanted to wait until everyone was here,” Steve said. Tony knew he was trying to sound assertive and confident, but there was a waver in his voice. He wondered if the other two men noticed. 

Nat and Clint filed in, followed by Sam. Then a few beats later Bucky appeared. They all settled onto the couches and chairs, looking mildly curious about what was about to happen. 

Rhodey was last, and he looked rumpled. He’d clearly just woken up. 

Sam was the first to break the silence, calling out, “What’s the family meeting for? Are mom and dad getting divorced and we have to choose who to go live with?”

Steve, clearly caught off guard, stumbled through a reply. “I, uhm, well not exactly, you see—.”

Tony, felt embarrassed on Steve’s behalf, and interrupted to save him from himself. “What Steve’s trying to say, is that it’s quite the opposite.” He took hold of Steve’s hand and gripped it tightly. 

Steve looked at him, a hint of confusion and fear in his eyes. He clearly wasn’t expecting them to make the reveal this soon into the conversation. 

Tony smiled back, and gave him a reassuring wink. It was his little signal to Steve that they’d be okay. That they’d make it through this together. 

“Wait, I’m confused. What do you mean?” Bruce surprised everyone by speaking up. Usually he’d sit through hours-long meetings and not say a word. 

“What I mean, is that Steve and I are dating. We have been for a while. And we decided that we’re finally ready to tell everyone. I know you probably all have questions, so I’ll hit the highlights to get it out of the way. Yes, he got drunk and confessed his feelings for me. No, we haven’t told anyone else. Yes, we really have been keeping it a secret for months. And yes, the sex is absolutely mindblowing.”

Tony added that last bit in because he knew it would make Steve blush. He loved the way he looked, cheeks turning pink and the sheepish smile forming. 

“Holy shit!” Clint called out. He looked at Natasha, confused, and then back at Tony and Steve. 

“Finally!” hollered Bucky. “Took you long enough!”

Everyone’s heads swiveled to stare at Bucky, and he just grinned in response. 

“How, how did you—?” Steve’s words were halting, like he couldn’t get them out. 

“Buddy, I’ve known you for how long? It’s not exactly a surprise to me that you like guys. You never were very interested in the girls I brought to parties. And besides, I saw you making out in the hallway months ago. It was pretty hot honestly.” He gave an over-the-top wink and smirked proudly. 

Natasha frowned at him, “And you didn’t think to mention this to any of us?”

Bucky shrugged, “It wasn’t mine to tell. I knew they’d eventually stop dicking around and make the big announcement, but I didn’t think it’d take this long. I was starting to think you’d broken up or something.”

Steve was standing there, mouth gaping. He didn’t know what to say. 

Tony cracked a huge smile, “Nah, Steve was just dragging his feet about making an honest man of me.”

Steve rolled his eyes, “We’re not getting married Tony.”

“Not yet!” Tony could see the pink deepening in Steve’s cheeks. 

“But all joking aside, that’s the big announcement. Oh! Also I am bi, and Steve’s... well, what do you identify as honey? Gay?” He looked to Steve for approval and Steve nodded. “Gay. Steve’s gay.”

“What the fuck.” Clint said, more quietly this time. “You guys have been hiding this for months? You bet me $200! Oh my God, you were probably fucking him back then, weren’t you? No fair, you had insider information.”

Tony shrugged and replied, “If I'm going to gamble, I do it when I’m guaranteed to win. Not my fault you’re such a dipshit.”

Sam hooted and clapped his hands, “I knew you were getting laid! I just didn’t expect it to be with this asshole.” He pointed to Tony.

“Hey! I’m only a part-time asshole these days,” Tony proclaimed. 

Tony looked to Rhodey, and saw him beaming like a proud dad. “I knew you liked him!” Rhodey said, “But I also knew you’d never admit it if I asked. I can’t believe you hid this for months. Usually you can’t keep a secret to save your life.”

Tony grinned at his longtime friend. “What can I say, Steve was worth it. And besides, I kept that secret about your crush on Princess Diana in ‘85 for all these years.”

“She was a beautiful woman and a loving wife and mother!” Rhodey bellowed, looking flustered about Tony’s divulgement. 

Nat, meanwhile, was still frowning. “So you’re telling me that I spent months trying to set you up with girls and it was all for nothing? There are so many hot guys you could’ve been hooking up with if only I’d known.”

Now Tony looked annoyed, “Hey now! I am hot!”

Steve chuckled and stroked Tony’s arm reassuringly. “The hottest, honey. Don’t let them tell you any different.” Tony was full on pouting and it was the cutest goddamn thing Steve had ever seen.

“Well, good for you guys,” and Bruce did look genuinely happy for them. “That’s wonderful.”

Steve looked over at Thor and realized that he hadn’t responded yet. Thor looked bewildered.  
“What do you think about all this, big guy?” Steve inquired. 

Thor paused to collect his thoughts. “This is a social taboo, yes? Is male love not an ordinary thing on this planet? You humans are so odd. In Asgard the manliest of warriors engage in love with other men. To bear yourself to another man so deeply is a great honor.”

“Well fuck me!” It seemed that Clint’s brain was having a hard time processing everything. 

“No thank you,” Thor replied in earnest. 

That earned a laugh from the whole group. 

“So what now?” asked Bucky. 

Tony and Steve looked at each other, neither one knowing what to say. 

Finally, Steve said something. “I, I guess we just continue on with our ordinary lives? Fight whatever bad guys come our way. Save the world. The usual.” 

Sam hollered back, “Not what he meant, dumbass.”

Steve rolled his eyes and groaned. “Then I guess you stop betting on me getting laid, and find some actual hobbies? I hear Racquetball is a great way to relieve stress and leave me the fuck alone.”

Everyone gasped and laughed. “Wow, Tony’s really rubbing off on you. I’m not sure how I feel about this new Steve,” Clint said. 

“Same old me. Just a little more, out of the closet I guess? And don’t try to back out of paying up. I’m going to take Tony on a date with that money.”

Clint and Sam groaned, and pulled out their wallets, handing over the cash.

Nat waved her hand to get Steve’s attention. “Are you guys gonna make a public announcement about this, or let it stay private for a while?”

They hadn’t discussed this yet. 

Steve confidently said “Public announcement” at the same time Tony said “Keep it private.” They shared a glance and shrugged. “I guess we still have some stuff to figure out,” Tony admitted. 

With the big announcement over, the group dissolved into separate discussions. 

Bruce was trying to explain why homosexuality was such a controversial thing in Earth culture, and Thor was struggling to understand. “But if they love each other, why is it considered bad?” Thor kept repeating.

Sam and Clint were already making bets about how long it would be till they were engaged, and who would propose. Sam’s money was on Steve proposing after a year and a half, while Clint insisted Tony would be down on one knee after 6 months. 

Nat and Bucky were deep in debate about what the wedding would be like, and recruited Rhodey to be their tie-breaker. 

It had all gone incredibly well. They hadn’t been sure what to expect, but their teammates had been supportive and seemed genuinely happy for them. Tony gripped Steve’s hand, and quietly told him, “Hey, we did it.”

Steve squeezed back, “We did it. Thank you.” He breathed out a sigh he’d been holding for far too long. “That was, it was so much better than I expected.”

“And now I can make out with you on the couch instead of up against the vacuum cleaner in the closet.”

“Gross!” Rhodey called out, grinning. 

“Maybe we’ll keep the making out to the bedroom, don’t want to put on a show for everyone.” Steve gave Tony a wink. 

Bucky saw it and said, “Being with you really has changed him, Tony. I like this new Steve.”

Steve just grinned and leaned his head against Tony’s. He was happy and felt more free than he ever had. He felt like himself for the first time in ages. 

“You hungry?” Steve asked his boyfriend, “I could really go for a shawarma.”


End file.
